don't wet your bed for fake underdogs, please

Submitted by the Grand Infidel of Kafiristan (Australia), Nov 10, 2009 at 15:33

Sholom Landy writes:

"Consider any minority member, who has strong feelings for other members of that minority, in his position. Let's say, a doctor of the Apache tribe is told that his next tour of duty will be in Apache territory, in an outfit that will fight, with bombs and machine guns, other Apache members.

It's a very nice sentiment sticking up for someone who has been portrayed as the underdog. But let's get things clear. The good doctor (yes, doctor, someone who has taken the Hippocratic oath to protect and preserve life) - was going to be called to serve a term in a Muslim country where war was going on between insurgents (who may or may not be Muslim - how dare you categorise Muslims in this way!) - and US and Allied troops.

As a doctor - and especially as a psychiatrist - he was not going to be on front-line duty. This person joined the Army with eyes wide open - became Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. He knew he could be called to serve anywhere in the world. It could have been a NATO base in Germany, or a US base in Guam, Okinawa or anywhere in the world for that matter. It happened to be Iraq. He was not asked to kill Muslims indiscriminately as the US is not fighting Muslims - it is fighting insurgents who are working towards the destruction of their own country and towards bringing down their elected government,

'.......... "How would you feel if YOU were told to aid those who would kill your brother tribesmen or co-religionists?"'

Writing from Israel, you'd probably know war is not a terribly nice thing - and people do get taken out of their comfort zones. You'd also most likely know a little bit about the background of the antagonists in WW2. Allied troops were fighting Axis powers. We had US , Australian, Canadian, Polish, UK & French Catholics fighting the German Army which was pretty much half Catholic & the 100% Catholic Italian army. UK protestants fighting German Lutherans. Swedish Lutherans fighting German Lutherans. Russian Orthodox troops fighting German Christians.

Can you make the point a little clearer about why '...He acted his conscience. ' - and explain why his situation was so unique?

And could you also explain what sort of conscience it is that allows someone to kill 12 unarmed strangers in cold blood and wound over 30 who presented no threat to him?

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